Born in Hoboken, New Jersey, to Italian immigrants, Sinatra began his musical career in the swing era with bandleaders Harry James and Tommy Dorsey. Sinatra found success as a solo artist after he signed with Columbia Records in 1943, becoming the idol of the "bobby soxers". He released his debut album, The Voice of Frank Sinatra, in 1946. Sinatra's professional career had stalled by the early 1950s, and he turned to Las Vegas, where he became one of its best known residency performers as part of The Rat Pack. His career was reborn in 1953 with the success of From Here to Eternity, with his performance subsequently winning an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor. Sinatra released several critically lauded albums, including In the Wee Small Hours (1955), Songs for Swingin' Lovers! (1956), Come Fly with Me (1958), Only the Lonely (1958) and Nice 'n' Easy (1960).
Sinatra left Capitol in 1960 to start his own record label, Reprise Records, and released a string of successful albums. In 1965, he recorded the retrospective September of My Years, starred in the Emmy-winning television special Frank Sinatra: A Man and His Music, and released the tracks "Strangers in the Night" and "My Way". After releasing Sinatra at the Sands, recorded at the Sands Hotel and Casino in Vegas with frequent collaborator Count Basie in early 1966, the following year he recorded one of his most famous collaborations with Tom Jobim, the album Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim. It was followed by 1968's collaboration with Duke Ellington. Sinatra retired for the first time in 1971, but came out of retirement two years later and recorded several albums and resumed performing at Caesars Palace, and reached success in 1980 with "New York, New York". Using his Las Vegas shows as a home base, he toured both within the United States and internationally until a short time before his death in 1998.
Sinatra forged a highly successful career as a film actor. After winning an Academy Award for From Here to Eternity, he starred in The Man with the Golden Arm (1955), and received critical acclaim for his performance in The Manchurian Candidate (1962). He appeared in various musicals such as On the Town (1949), Guys and Dolls (1955), High Society (1956), and Pal Joey (1957), winning another Golden Globe for the latter. Toward the end of his career, he became associated with playing detectives, including the title character in Tony Rome (1967). Sinatra would later receive the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award in 1971. On television, The Frank Sinatra Show began on ABC in 1950, and he continued to make appearances on television throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Sinatra was also heavily involved with politics from the mid-1940s, and actively campaigned for presidents such as Harry S. Truman, John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan, though before Kennedy's death Sinatra's alleged Mafia connections led to his being snubbed.
While Sinatra never formally learned how to read music, he had an impressive understanding of it, and he worked very hard from a young age to improve his abilities in all aspects of music. A perfectionist, renowned for his dress sense and performing presence, he always insisted on recording live with his band. His bright blue eyes earned him the popular nickname "Ol' Blue Eyes". Sinatra led a colorful personal life, and was often involved in turbulent affairs with women, such as with his second wife Ava Gardner. He went on to marry Mia Farrow in 1966 and Barbara Marx in 1976. Sinatra had several violent confrontations, usually with journalists he felt had crossed him, or work bosses with whom he had disagreements. He was honored at the Kennedy Center Honors in 1983, was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Ronald Reagan in 1985, and the Congressional Gold Medal in 1997. Sinatra was also the recipient of eleven Grammy Awards, including the Grammy Trustees Award, Grammy Legend Award and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. After his death, American music critic Robert Christgau called him "the greatest singer of the 20th century", and he continues to be seen as an iconic figure.
Sinatra died with his wife at his side at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on May 14, 1998, aged 82, after a heart attack. Sinatra had ill health during the last few years of his life, and was frequently hospitalized for heart and breathing problems, high blood pressure, pneumonia and bladder cancer. He was further diagnosed as having dementia. He had made no public appearances following a heart attack in February 1997. Sinatra's wife encouraged him to "fight" while attempts were made to stabilize him, and his final words were, "I'm losing." Sinatra's daughter, Tina, later wrote that she and her sister, Nancy, had not been notified of their father's final hospitalization, and it was her belief that "the omission was deliberate. Barbara would be the grieving widow alone at her husband's side." The night after Sinatra's death, the lights on the Empire State Building in New York City were turned blue, the lights at the Las Vegas Strip were dimmed in his honor, and the casinos stopped spinning for a minute.
Sinatra's funeral was held at the Roman Catholic Church of the Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills, California, on May 20, 1998, with 400 mourners in attendance and thousands of fans outside. Gregory Peck, Tony Bennett, and Sinatra's son, Frank Jr., addressed the mourners, who included many notable people from film and entertainment. Sinatra was buried in a blue business suit with mementos from family membersβcherry-flavored Life Savers, Tootsie Rolls, a bottle of Jack Daniel's, a pack of Camel cigarettes, a Zippo lighter, stuffed toys, a dog biscuit, and a roll of dimes that he always carriedβnext to his parents in section B-8 of Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City, California.
His close friends Jilly Rizzo and Jimmy Van Heusen are buried nearby. The words "The Best Is Yet to Come", plus "Beloved Husband & Father" are imprinted on Sinatra's grave marker. Significant increases in recording sales worldwide were reported by Billboard in the month of his death.
I Sing the Songs
Frank Sinatra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I put the words and the melodies together, I am music and I sing this song:
I sing the songs that make the whole world sing,
I sing the songs of love and special things,
I sing the songs that make the young girls cry,
I sing the songs, I sing the songs.
My home is deep within you, and I've got my own place in your soul,
I am young again even though I'm growing old.
I sing the songs that make the whole world sing,
I sing the songs of love and special things,
I sing the songs that make the young girls cry,
I sing the songs, I sing the songs.
My music makes you dance, it gets your spirit to take a chance,
And if the music's from the heart, it's a real fine way to start,
It's from me, it's to you, it's from you, it's to me,
It's a world-wide symphony.
I sing the songs that make the whole world sing,
I sing the songs of love and special things,
I sing the songs that make the young girls cry,
I sing the songs, I sing the songs.
I sing and the whole world sings,
I sing the songs of love and special things,
I sing the songs that make the young girls cry,
I sing the songs, I sing the songs. I am music, and I sing the songs.
The lyrics of Frank Sinatra's "I Sing The Songs" are all about the power of music and how it speaks to people on a deeply personal level. The song is written from the point of view of music itself, asserting that it has been around since the beginning of time and has played an integral role in human experience. The singer claims that they are "music" and that they are responsible for putting words and melodies together. They sing the songs that "make the whole world sing" and "make the young girls cry."
The song also reflects on how music changes and grows with the listener. The lyrics state that music has a "home" within us and that it has its place "in our soul." It goes on to suggest that when we listen to music, we become young again, even though we are growing old. This speaks to the way in which music can transport us to different times and experiences, helping us tap into the emotions of the past even as we move forward into the future.
Overall, "I Sing The Songs" is an affirmation of the power of music to connect with people on a deep and meaningful level. It speaks to the longevity and universality of music and its ability to evoke emotions and memories in listeners from all walks of life.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been alive forever, and I sang the very first song,
I am music - the foundation of all songs throughout history. From the very beginning of time, I have been present, creating and singing the first melodies.
I put the words and the melodies together, I am music and I sing this song:
I am the creator of music and put together the lyrics and melodies. I am the essence of music and I am singing this song through the artist who performs it.
I sing the songs that make the whole world sing,
I sing the timeless classics that resonate with everyone, regardless of their culture, ethnicity or background. These iconic tunes are universal and beloved by all.
I sing the songs of love and special things,
My music speaks to the emotional experiences that bring people together - love, hope, heartbreak, and joy. It is a celebration of the human condition.
I sing the songs that make the young girls cry,
My music has the power to move people to tears, especially young girls, who are often more sensitive and deeply impacted by emotional experiences.
My home is deep within you, and I've got my own place in your soul,
My music has a transcendent quality that reaches into the soul of every listener. It creates an emotional connection that lasts a lifetime and touches people at a fundamental level.
Now when I look out through your eyes,
I am able to see the world through the unique perspective of every individual listener who experiences my music. Their experiences and emotions shape their interpretation of my music and make it personal to them.
I am young again even though I'm growing old.
My music is timeless, and as I get older and continue to sing, I remain forever young. The memories, emotions and experiences encapsulated in my songs live forever and never age.
My music makes you dance, it gets your spirit to take a chance,
My music inspires a sense of freedom, joy and abandon that allows people to let loose, dance and take risks that they might not feel comfortable taking in other aspects of their lives.
And if the music's from the heart, it's a real fine way to start,
If music is created with passion and heart, it can be a powerful force for good in the world. It can inspire, heal and connect people in profound ways, forming the foundation of a better, more compassionate society.
It's from me, it's to you, it's from you, it's to me,
Music is a reciprocal act of communication between the creator and the listener. It flows in a cycle from the artist to the audience and back again, each feeding off the other's energy and emotion.
It's a world-wide symphony.
My music is a global phenomenon, uniting people from all corners of the world in a singular experience of sound, emotion and humanity. It is a symphony that plays across borders, languages and cultures.
I sing and the whole world sings,
My music has a unifying quality that brings everyone together in song, creating a shared experience of joy, emotion and connection. When I sing, the world sings along.
I am music, and I sing the songs.
Music is my true identity, my calling and my passion. It is the art form that speaks to my soul, and I will continue to sing the songs that touch the hearts of people around the world.
Lyrics Β© Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRUCE JOHNSTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Patrick Stocks
Iβve been alive forever βΎ and I sang the very first song
I sing π€ the songs that make the whole world π sing π€
I sing π€ the songs of love π and special things
I sing π€ the songs that make the young girls cry π’
I sing π€ the songs, I sing π€ the songs
My home π is deep within you, and Iβve got my own place in your soul
Now when I look π out through your eyes π
I am young again even though Iβm growing old
I sing π€ the songs that make the whole world π sing π€
I sing π€ the songs of love π and special things
I sing π€ the songs that make the young girls cry π’
I sing π€ the songs, I sing π€ the song
My music π§ makes you dance π it gets your spirit to take a chance
And if the musics from the heart π itβs a real fine way to start
Itβs from me, itβs to you, itβs from you, itβs to me
Itβs a world πΊ wide symphony
I sing π€ the songs that make the whole world πΊ sing π€
I sing π€ the songs of love π and special things
I sing π€ the songs that make the young girls cry π’
I sing π€ the songs, I sing π€ the songs
I sing π€ and the whole world πΊ sings
I sing π€ the songs of love π and special things
I sing π€ the songs that make the young girls cry π’
I sing π€ the songs, I sing π€ the songs. I am music π§ and I sing π€ the songs
Charles Eliseu
Frank Sinatra: o melhor cantor de todos os tempos. MΓΊsicas como esta sempre permanecem vivas.
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Michel Motta
Sinatra foi o verdadeiro The voice
Solveig M Wilder
Very Wonderful! He sure did 'Sing the Songs" !!! And moved us all !!!!
Franbest guitr player in the woorldcesco Consiglio
The best singer of all time
Joe Cracco
As always, better than the original! Frank took someone elseβs song and then it was never theirs again! The Great American Songbook might as well be called the Sinatra Bible.
Young Blue Eyes
One of my favorite Sinatra songs to listen to! I would be so thrilled if this was made as a karaoke version!
Judith Barvinek
Had should have had more air time.Β Β What a voice.Β Β Never will be another a singer like him ever.Β I will love him until I cannot listen to him anymore.
Adilson Annsara
Jamais haverΓ‘ outro com essa voz belΓssima .
Mike Docherty
His was voice was strained in this sunset of his career but he still had it.